Truck box assembly
A storage box and a supporting bracket assembly are provided for use in the bed of a pickup style truck. The storage box has a base with a bottom and a plurality of side walls. The bracket assembly includes a box engaging portion, a hook portion and an adjustable support leg. The box and bracket have an installed position wherein the hook portion engages the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed, the outer end of the adjustable support leg engages a wall extending downwardly from the upper rail of the bed and the storage box is supported on the bracket assembly adjacent the wall of the bed.
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This Utility Patent Application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/308,065, filed Feb. 25, 2010, the entire content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to storage devices for use with pickup style trucks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are a wide variety of storage devices available for improving the storage capabilities of a pickup style truck. For example, truck boxes are available which span the bed of the pickup truck, side to side, towards the front wall of the bed. These boxes typically have locking lids and an interior storage area for tools and other objects. Also available are storage containers that sit on the floor of the truck bed and which may be fastened to the bed in various ways. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,017 to Mullican.
There remains a need far storage boxes designed for use with or in the bed of a pickup style truck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a storage box and a supporting bracket assembly for use in the bed of a pickup style truck. In one embodiment, the storage box has a base with a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to an upper edge. The box also has a lid with a top and a lower edge configured to fit against the upper edge of the base. The bracket assembly includes a box engaging portion, a hook portion and an adjustable support leg. The box engaging portion has an upper end and a lower end, and a first side and a second side. The box engaging portion is connectable to a side wall of the storage box base such that the first side is disposed towards the side wall of the storage box. The hook portion extends from the second side of the box engaging portion and is configured to engage the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style truck. The adjustable support leg extends from the second side of the box engaging portion and has an outer end. The adjustable support leg is adjustable so as to adjust the distance between the outer end and the box engaging portion. The box and bracket have an installed position wherein the hook portion engages the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed, the outer end of the adjustable support leg engages a wall extending downwardly from the upper rail of the bed and the storage box is supported on the bracket assembly adjacent the wall of the bed.
In some embodiments, the storage box has a rim at the upper end, the rim having an underside with at least one opening defined therein. The upper end of the box engaging portion is disposed in the at least one opening when the combination is in the installed position.
In some embodiments, the invention further includes a second bracket assembly with features matching the bracket assembly.
In some embodiments, the hook portion extends from the box engaging portion near the upper end of the box engaging portion. In some versions, the hook portion is spaced from the upper end of the box engaging portion and a tab is defined by the upper end of the box engaging portion above the hook portion. The storage box has a rim at the upper end, the rim having an underside with at least one opening defined therein. The tab of the box engaging portion is disposed in the at least one opening when the combination is in the installed position.
In some embodiments, the adjustable support leg includes a base portion integral with the box engaging portion and an adjustment portion adjustably connected to the base portion. The outer end of the adjustable support leg is defined by an end of the adjustment portion.
In some embodiments, the bracket assembly further includes a box support portion extending from the first side of the box engaging portion. When the combination is in the installed position, the bottom of the storage box base is disposed on the box support portion. In some versions, the base portion of the adjustable support leg and a part of the adjustment portion form the box support portion of the bracket assembly.
In some embodiments, the bracket assembly further includes a box support portion extending from the first side of the box engaging portion, and when the combination is in the installed position, the bottom of the storage box base is disposed on the box support portion. In some versions, the box support portion is integral with the box engaging portion.
In some embodiments, the hook portion has openings for fasteners, and when the combination is in the installed position, fasteners extend through openings into the upper rail of the bed of the truck.
In some embodiments, the hook portion includes a base portion integral with the box engaging portion and an end portion adjustable with respect thereto.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a storage box and a supporting bracket assembly for use in the bed of a pickup style truck. The storage box has a sidewall. The bracket has a hook portion extending therefrom and a support leg extending therefrom. The combination has an installed position wherein the hook portion engages the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed, the support leg engages a wall extending downwardly from the upper rail of the bed and the storage box is supported on the bracket assembly adjacent the wall of the bed.
The present invention provides a storage box and a bracket assembly for supporting the storage box in the bed of a pickup style truck. The combination of the box and bracket assembly is preferably designed such that the bracket assembly engages an upper rail and side wall of the truck bed and supports the storage box adjacent the wall of the bed and supported above a floor of the bed.
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As will be clear to those of skill in the art, the exact configuration of the bracket assembly 36 may take a variety of forms.
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The bracket assembly illustrated in
The embodiment of the bracket assembly illustrated in
As will be clear to those of skill in the art, the illustrated combination may also be assembled such that the box is positioned higher with respect to the bracket assembly. For example, if the box is positioned adjacent a side wall of the truck, above a wheel well, the wheel well may prevent the box from being positioned as low as illustrated. In this case, the box may be positioned higher than illustrated, with respect to the bracket assembly. The box engaging portion may be attached to the side of the box, but the upper end of tab of the box engaging portion may not enter the opening under the rim of the box and/or the bottom of the box may not rest on the box support portion.
As will be clear to those of skill in the art, the herein described embodiments of the present invention may be altered in various ways without departing from the scope or teaching of the present invention. It is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. In combination, a storage box and a bracket assembly for supporting the storage box in the bed of a pickup style truck having an upper rail and a side wall extending downwardly from the upper rail, the combination comprising:
- a storage box comprising: a base having a bottom and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom to an upper edge; and a lid having a top and a lower edge configured to fit against the upper edge of the base; and
- a bracket assembly comprising: a box engaging portion having an upper end and a lower end, the box engaging portion further having a first side and a second side, the box engaging portion being connectable to a side wall of the storage box base such that the first side is disposed towards the side wall of the storage box; a hook portion extending from the second side of the box engaging portion, the hook portion configured to engage the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style truck; and an adjustable support leg extending from the second side of the box engaging portion, the adjustable support leg including a base portion integral with the box engaging portion and an adjustment portion adjustably connected to the base portion, the adjustable portion having an outer end, the adjustable support leg being adjustable so as to adjust the distance between the outer end and the box engaging portion; a box support portion extending from the first side of the box engaging portion, the base portion of the adjustable support leg and a part of the adjustment portion forming the box support portion of the bracket assembly, the bottom of the storage box base being disposed on the box support portion; the combination having an installed position wherein the hook portion engages the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed, the outer end of the adjustable support leg engages a wall extending downwardly from the upper rail of the bed and the storage box is supported on the bracket assembly adjacent the wall of the bed.
2. The combination of claim 1, wherein:
- the storage box has a rim at the upper edge of the base, the rim having an underside with at least one opening defined therein; and
- the upper end of the box engaging portion being disposed in the at least one opening when the combination is in the installed position.
3. The combination of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second bracket assembly comprising: a box engaging portion having an upper end and a lower end, the box engaging portion further having a first side and a second side, the box engaging portion being connectable to a side wall of the storage box base such that the first side is disposed towards the side wall of the storage box; a hook portion extending from the second side of the box engaging portion, the hook portion configured to engage the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed; and an adjustable support leg extending from the second side of the box engaging portion, the adjustable support leg having an outer end, the adjustable support leg being adjustable so as to adjust the distance between the outer end and the box engaging portion;
- wherein when the combination is in the installed position, the hook portion of the second bracket assembly engages the upper rail of a bed of a pickup style bed, the outer end of the adjustable support leg of the second bracket assembly engages a wall extending downwardly from the upper rail of the bed and the storage box is supported on the second bracket assembly adjacent the wall of the bed.
4. The combination of claim 1, wherein:
- the hook portion extends from the box engaging portion near the upper end of the box engaging portion.
5. The combination of claim 4, wherein:
- the hook portion is spaced from the upper end of the box engaging portion, a tab being defined by the upper end of the box engaging portion above the hook portion;
- the storage box has a rim at the upper edge of the base, the rim having an underside with at least one opening defined therein; and
- the tab of the box engaging portion is disposed in the at least one opening when the combination is in the installed position.
6. The combination of claim 1, wherein:
- the box support portion is integral with the box engaging portion.
7. The combination of claim 1, wherein:
- the hook portion has openings for fasteners;
- wherein when the combination is in the installed position, fasteners extend through openings into the upper rail of the bed of the truck.
8. The combination of claim 1, wherein:
- the hook portion includes a base portion integral with the box engaging portion and an end portion adjustable with respect thereto.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 22, 2011
Date of Patent: Oct 29, 2013
Patent Publication Number: 20110204110
Assignee: 1541689 Ontario Inc. (Cobourg)
Inventors: Brian Angus Read (Cobourg), Brian Bruce Clarkson (Cobourg), Michael Merril Springer (Baltimore), Keith Alan Armstrong (Bowmanville)
Primary Examiner: Nathan J Newhouse
Assistant Examiner: Scott McNurlen
Application Number: 13/032,044
International Classification: B60R 7/00 (20060101);